"..."
Snow White sat on the ground, her eyes glazed over and unfocused.
She blinked, her gaze finally finding Tom. With unnerving speed, Snow White scrambled to her feet, smoothing her rumpled dress. The dazed look vanished, replaced by a strange, unsettling eagerness.
But before she could speak...
Her soul had already left her body, courtesy of Tom.
"..."
Clearly, Tom had no patience for games.
"Your Highness?"
Her anxious knights cautiously approached their princess. Snow White's moods were notoriously volatile, swinging wildly from manic excitement to saintly calm in an instant.
Though unresponsive, Snow White appeared unharmed. Reassured, the knights once more formed a protective ring around Tom.
"You little thief, get back..."
"Stand down!" Snow White barked.
The knights froze.
"It is quite alright. Heed your princess," Tom said smoothly. "Go back and wash your faces, gentlemen. Pay particular attention to cleaning your noses."
"..."
Ignoring the knights' glares, Tom turned his attention to the real Queen Snow White, still somewhere within the crowd.
Time to claim the third prize.
...
When Tom and his companions departed the Snow White Kingdom, they sailed on a large merchant vessel.
Everything remained as they left it, except that the ruler's seat would soon be occupied.
As for Snow White's fate, that would depend entirely on the new queen's dispositions.
And as for why they'd manipulated Snow White into passing the throne… consider it a small act of compensation for commandeering her 'apple stand.'
...
Presently, Tom and his entourage were casually conversing in the ship's lounge.
The vessel carried other passengers. Most were merchants from the Kingdom of Snow White, interspersed with travelers from foreign lands.
In one corner sat a robust young man, clad in opulent clothing that whispered of noble birth, though Tom and his companions were even more lavishly dressed.
Naturally, such a ship warranted a guard detail courtesy of the Kingdom of Snow White. Small in number, these guards were elite: the "Seven Dwarfs," renowned in certain circles for their strength, combat prowess, and…compact stature.
But that hardly mattered.
Tom and his crew weren't here to marvel at the Seven Dwarfs' abilities.
The ship's destination was a kingdom across the sea, ruled by none other than Cinderella herself!
"Honestly... even Cinderella is plotting a coup these days…" Harry grumbled, his tone laced with world-weary resignation.
"Relax, Harry; Cinderella's title won't prevent us from acquiring her glass slipper," Tom said, taking a sip of the ship's liquor. It was reportedly made from sugarcane; the taste was unremarkable, yet palatable.
"Um… pardon me, did I overhear you mention Her Majesty, Queen Cinderella, just now?"
A resonant voice spoke from behind Malfoy.
Tom and the others hadn't bothered with Muggle-Repelling Charms during their conversation. It wasn't necessary. Having spent considerable time "growing up" in the Snow White Kingdom, Tom had abandoned such pretenses.
Cinderella would encounter a Tom who no longer played fair; even with all her might, she wouldn't protect her glass slipper.
"…"
Hearing the voice, Tom and the others turned to regard the speaker. It was the well-built, richly dressed young man from the corner of the lounge.
"Greetings. My name is Eric, and I am from a foreign land…"
"You're a prince?" Harry blurted, surprised.
"How did you know?"
Eric's eyes widened in surprise. His country was small and distant from the Kingdom of Snow White. How could these people possibly recognize him?
Cassandra subtly maneuvered closer to Hermione, who quietly explained, "He's the Little Mermaid's husband."
"..."
A mermaid?
Cassandra's mind conjured images of mermaids in the Black Lake. She found herself wondering if this man harbored strange tastes.
Nagini remained quiet, casually glancing at Eric before subtly shifting her gaze to Tom. Well, even a prince couldn't rival her Tom in terms of looks.
But Nagini looked back at Tom, curious about his plans and willing to support him in any endeavor. If Tom wished to act, she would draw her wand and follow without hesitation.
"Excuse me, Your Highness, may I inquire as to your interest in Her Majesty?"
Tom adopted a deliberately puzzled expression, although he had already employed Legilimency the moment their eyes met.
He was genuinely curious about the connection between the Little Mermaid's husband and Cinderella.
Unfortunately, the answer proved disappointingly mundane.
"It is like this," Eric explained, scratching his head sheepishly. "I have come to the Kingdom of Snow White on a diplomatic mission to visit Her Majesty, Queen Cinderella, on behalf of my country."
"Since I have never met her before, I am anxious about inadvertently causing offense. Therefore, I am attempting to gather more information about her."
He wasn't traveling alone, of course. Several envoys were present in the lounge, with additional guards patrolling the deck alongside the "Seven Dwarfs."
"..."
How dreadfully dull. I had hoped for scandalous gossip.
Tom nonchalantly sipped his sugarcane wine. "We, too, have never met Queen Cinderella… Though it is rumored – and we cannot vouch for its veracity – that she harbors a particular fondness for crystal."
Eric's face fell slightly at the first part of his statement, but his eyes sparkled at the second. He quickly expressed his gratitude and offered Tom some jewelry he had brought as gifts for the Queen.
Although Tom, who held sway over most of the wizarding world, was hardly lacking in riches, he accepted Eric's offering nonetheless.
But as he accepted the jewels, he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. It seemed the Little Mermaid's something special was not with Eric.
Just then, the entire ship lurched violently!
Chaotic screams erupted outside, signaling a sudden and severe storm.
But what truly caught Tom's attention was a distinct, resonant tenor voice that cut through the din...
A tenor? What in the world?
---